Staying Present With The Art of Mindful Repetition
These ancient practices are a powerful tool for re-channelling our energy when we're experiencing compulsive thought.
One of the things about being a teacher and working at a school is interacting with so many other people.
It’s good because it helps you develop social skills as you learn how to manage several working relationships. However, so much interaction can sometimes be too much for the brain to handle.
When you think about it, seeing six classes of approximately 30 kids daily means you interact with about 180 kids every day, and that's just in your classroom. On top of that, you have all the kids you have around school, as well as your colleagues. This equates to well over 200 daily interactions. Although some of these interactions are less significant than others, they all provide information that our brains must subconsciously process, and it takes up a lot of bandwidth.
This comes with the job, and I accept it for what it is. However, mental chatter is a secondary effect that fuels your internal monologue and sends your rational mind into overdrive. This part of your mind tries to understand what you take in through your senses. And when it encounters something that doesn't align with its ideal worldview, it feels threatened.
I sometimes find it difficult to process when I hear kids discussing specific topics at a young age. Kids shouldn't be exposed to certain things at a certain age, but many are. The world isn't perfect or ideal, but we must learn to accept it. We make positive changes where possible but can't fix every part of the world around us.
I've found myself in a position lately where mental chatter has become more frequent. It's exhausting, it's futile, I don't want to participate in it, but I still struggle to stop it. While a daily meditation practice is helpful, it won't immediately turn your mind into a clean slate, free from thought. What it will do, however, is create the space to become more aware of your thoughts.
I'm at a stage where I can see this mental chatter for what it is and take it with more of a pinch of salt. Until recently, I struggled to find an effective tool for re-centring myself when lost in thought.
The Magic of Mantra
I never really got to grips with the idea of mantra. I knew it was something you repeated to yourself, but most of the ones I encountered didn't make any sense. Why would I waste my time repeating something I didn't know the meaning of? I couldn't work out whether it would make me feel more crazy saying it out loud or in my head.
I couldn't find a mantra that resonated with me. Ram Dass has mentioned ones such as Ram and Om. Still, my lack of education left me without understanding or connection with these. I'll shamefully admit that mantra was another Eastern practice that I, a Westerner, turned my nose up at because I didn't truly understand its value and uses.
They say the best way to learn is through your own experience, and this was how I came to understand the power of mantra. I recently found my rational mind going into overdrive again, creating a futile monologue instead of allowing me some internal peace.
I wondered if there was something else to repeat in my head to replace this ceaseless chatter, and using a mantra was my last resort. I figure that if I were repeating a mantra, at least I wouldn't get mindlessly lost in other unskilful thoughts (ones that lead to further mental suffering).
A while ago, I came across this piece by
that mentioned a specific Buddhist mantra. What struck me was that it was nothing like I'd come across before, prompting me to look up the meaning of it. After processing its meaning and history, I became a little warmer about using it to re-centre myself.When I realised my mind was wheel-spinning during stressful or busy times, I returned to this mantra more frequently. It's been a powerful tool in helping me remain calm, centred, aware, and open. Here's a little more about the mantra, its meaning, and how to use it.
Om Mani Padme Hum
The mantra above is a well-known Sanskrit phrase used by Buddhists worldwide. At first glance, it may seem a little abstract to the typical English speaker, but I believe this is where much of its power lies for us Westerners.
Although unfamiliar, using a mantra in a different language is useful in redirecting our incessant thoughts and changing our state of mind.
Knowing precisely what the mantra means is still helpful in resonating with a mantra practice. It makes our practice more meaningful and personal. The mantra we’re working with here has the power to:
“Transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech and mind of a Buddha.”—Dalai Lama
Om—believed to be the primordial sound of all creation. Reciting it helps us dissolve our ego and cultivate kindness and generosity.
Mani—Ma is associated with dissolving jealousy and attachment to fleeting pleasures. Ni is believed to dissolve our attachments to desire and passion while cultivating our ability to be patient with ourselves and others.
Padme—dissolves our attachments to the many prejudices and judgmental notions we have while cultivating the quality of perseverance. Me helps dissolve our attachments to being possessive while cultivating our powers of concentration.
Hum—dissolves our attachments to aggression and hatred.
The one phrase that sums it all up is this: “The jewel is in the lotus,” which means that within us is the lotus flower; a lot of mud and muck just covers it up. This corresponds to Buddha Nature, which is the ability of all humans to attain liberation from suffering as they self-realise.
According to a lecture by the Dalai Lama, while it’s an excellent draft to recite this mantra repeatedly, one must simultaneously meditate upon the meaning of each syllable. Of course, this might be difficult, so it's good practice to start by repeating it, and you can work over time with a deeper understanding and embody its meaning. You may prefer to repeat it mentally or aloud, depending on your setting.
When To Use It?
A great time to use this mantra is when you have realised your mind is wandering from the present. Suppose you're caught worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. If you're getting stuck in unhealthy thought loops about things you can't control, that's also a great time to use this mantra. The important thing is to set the intention of using it.
I also like to use a practice that makes the act more tangible. I do this by running my thumb and forefinger of one hand over the finger knuckles of another hand as I repeat syllables of the mantra—an ad hoc way of using my knuckles as mala beads. I learned this when Ram Dass mentioned how his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, used to do it frequently.
Perhaps aim to repeat it five or ten cycles, and then continue with whatever you did before. With consistency, you'll feel a little more grounded after this practice. You don't have to do it constantly; snapshots are effective.
The Effects Might Surprise You
This practice proved effective when I feel bored and have the urge to reach for my phone compulsively. I watched the new Bob Marley film with my friends over the weekend. We stopped at a fast food restaurant before the film, but I'd already eaten, so I didn't order anything.
I went to grab a table and sat there alone, waiting for my friends to come over with their burgers. I instinctively pulled my phone out to check my emails, but I stopped myself. Instead, I made a deal with myself to repeat this mantra until my friends arrived with their food.
Although it was only five minutes, this choice resulted in one of the most tranquil states I've ever experienced, away from the meditation cushion. I repeated the mantra as I looked around Wendy's, cultivating feelings of loving kindness for the people there.
When my friends arrived back at the table, I was in blissful, loving and open peace. I doubt sitting and scrolling my phone for five minutes would have had the same effect.
My advice is to try this practice. Approach it without judgment, with an open mind and an open heart. You never know how it might open you up.
Wow, that's a lot of interactions, thanks for sharing "Om Mani Padme Hum," I will be giving it a try as well.
Thank you for sharing it, I heard mantras were effective but couldn't find anything that ressonated with me just like you.
So I going to try it now